Unit 4 Suffixes
There are always a lot of suffixes to learn for each Unit. But unlike the root words, there’s a lot of repetition in the use of suffixes. So while this table has 51 entries, only 18 are new. Of those 18, four are word endings from other languages, and don’t really add much meaning to the terms. So you really only have a handful of new suffixes to learn in this Unit and in future Units. The ones you’ve learned already are in gray.
| Suffix | Definition |
|---|---|
| –al | pertaining to |
| –algia | pain |
| –ar | pertaining to |
| –ary | pertaining to |
| –ate | word ending that turns a noun into an adjective that means "showing" |
| –ation | word ending that turns a verb into a noun |
| –cele | hernia |
| –ceous | pertaining to |
| –dice | French ending which puts "to be" before the word |
| –dynia | pain |
| –ectasia | dilated condition |
| –ectomy | cutting out of |
| –ema | Greek ending which puts "to be" before the word |
| –ene | chemical name ending |
| –er | word ending that turns a verb into a noun |
| –gen | arising from |
| –ia | disease |
| –iasis | presence of an abnormality |
| –ic | pertaining to |
| –icle | diminutive suffix |
| –in | chemical name ending for a protein |
| –ing | English verb ending forming a continuous tense (present participle) |
| –ion | word ending that turns a verb into a noun |
| –ism | belief; process word ending |
| –itic | pertaining to |
| –itis | inflammation |
| –itus | Latin suffix meaning the word takes the male gender |
| –ity | turns a noun into a state of being |
| –ium | anatomical structure |
| –ization | the process of |
| –logy | study of |
| –lysis | breaking down; destroying |
| –malacia | softening due to disease |
| –megaly | enlargement due to disease |
| –o | Spanish word ending |
| –oid | resembling |
| –oma | tumor |
| –ops | face |
| –ory | pertaining to |
| –osis | process |
| –ous | word ending that turns a noun into an adjective |
| –pathy | disease process |
| –plasm | growth; development |
| –plasty | surgical revision |
| –poiesis | creation process |
| –rrhea | abnormal flow |
| –scopy | the process of looking inside |
| –tion | word ending that turns a verb into a noun |
| –tomy | cutting |
| –trophy | nourishment, growth |
| –ula –ule |
diminutive suffix |
